(11 May 2014, 1:21 pm)Dan wrote Most of which were pensioners, I bet?!
For reference, service OK1 operated with next to no passengers all day on the final day of operation. Whilst this will be in part to customers making alternative arrangements for travel owing to the impending withdrawal of the service, an empty bus with just me on it did suggest a lot.
The service may have been 'breaking even', but I doubt it was making much of a profit when in its prime. This was as a result of the strong competition from Arriva on the route. If you ask me, it's not a coincidence that the withdrawal of service OK1 saw the vehicles repainted for a new service which provides Arriva with strong competition down in Hexham where they don't have any other connecting services!
I do think GNE were planning the X84/X85 as the OK1 came to an end, as they knew Arriva didn't have much of a stand ever since the depot swap.